Apprenticeship scheme gains a royal patron

City Gateway and the Evening Standard have seen success in just 10 weeks

The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, has shown his support for the Evening Standard’s Ladder for London apprenticeship campaign by becoming a patron. Speaking to over 200 apprentices during a visit to the Standard’s partner, City Gateway, on Friday 30th November, Prince Andrew spoke about the government’s failure to confront youth unemployment and praised the scheme for tackling the issue head on: “You are giving young people a tradable skill and it means that they can earn a living and lead a fulfilling life.”

The campaign originally planned to have created 500 apprenticeships by Christmas, but has exceeded its goal already with a total of 543 in just 10 weeks. City Gateway Founder Eddie Stride said: “We are already on course to get 1,000 young people into jobs in 2013. But with the Duke of York having come on board, I believe that Ladder for London can now reach for the sky and transform the landscape of youth unemployment in the capital.”